Nike vs. ADIDAS: Where I stand by Artie McFly

Nike vs Adidas is always a fun topic between my friends and I. We always argue over who is better, kind of like Nas vs. Jay Z or Biggie vs. Tupac. Someone always has an opinion. So before I get into my thoughts on the matter, let's talk stats. In the US, Nike is the number one selling footwear brand. ADIDAS comes in second. The interesting thing about Nike is that they dominate about 60% of the market (where their basketball sneakers are at 90%).

My love of sneaker culture started when I was a kid. I remember how cool Run DMC looked with their shell toe ADIDAS anytime they were on TV. Not only were they rocking some badass shoes, the fashion was on point; leather jackets, leather pants, and that unmistaken Godfather hat. There were other fashion icons of the time, too, that were on this culture-defining ride like Beat Street. I remember seeing all the cats that would break-dance with their red & white ADIDAS jogging suits and matching kicks. Even though I'm a midwest guy, I still have a place in my heart for that East Coast flavor.

With that being said and being a guy from the South Side of Chicago, I will always have a soft spot for local sports, especially our hometown heroes: THE BULLS! If you love the Bulls, then you have love and respect for Michael Jordan and his Nikes. Being a guy of a certain age, I got to see Mike play unlike some of the younger sneakerheads of today. What they don't realize is that people used to go crazy over a pair of Jordans - not that they'd be excited to see your Jordans, but that you could "get got" if you had them and were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Having a pair of new Jordans meant you were at the top of your game.

This is the allure of collecting sneakers, which is something I started to do in the early 2000's. I was torn, though. Because street culture always plays a part in urban fashion, there was this pull between Nikes (streetwear) and ADIDAS (BBoy/East Coast). Both had different feelings and at first, I leaned towards Nikes. The majority of my collection started with Nike Dunks, Air Force 1s, Nike Terminators, etc... and then Nike went and ruined it. They began releasing retro Jordan silhouettes and I got bored. Luckily, a homie of mine turned me onto ADIDAS Tubulars and my love for the brand grew again.

With the recent craze over Retro Jordans dying down, ADIDAS stands a chance to shine again. So, who's better? I have no idea. Both have a different style and message (and that's okay).

Who's side are you on? Leave a message on our Facebook and let me know your thoughts on sneaker culture.

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